Unlock the Waiting Lists! Agenda for the 2014 Legislative Session
By D'Arcy Robb
In addition to the GCDD legislative agenda, we advocate for the Unlock the Waiting Lists! Campaign. Unlock the Waiting Lists! advocates to reduce and eventually eliminate the waiting lists for home- and community based support for Georgians with disabilities, so they and their families can live full lives and contribute to Georgia communities and the economy. We believe Georgia must rebalance its system of long-term supports, so that fewer dollars are spent on institutional care and more dollars are invested into supports in the community. Support in the community is overwhelmingly what Georgians with disabilities and their families want, and rebalancing our system will benefit those citizens directly affected and the State of Georgia as a whole. The items on the Unlock agenda are designed to support that vision.
Unlock the Waiting Lists! has a history of broad and passionate support throughout the disability community. Unlock is guided by our steering committee partners: the Georgia Advocacy Office, the Arc of Georgia, the Georgia Council on Developmental
Disabilities, the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, People First of Georgia, the Institute on Human Development & Disability at the University of Georgia, the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University, the Georgia Council on Aging and Parent to Parent of Georgia. We welcome all interested organizations and individuals to participate in Unlock advocacy.
The final agenda of Unlock the Waiting Lists! is based on the proposed budget that the governor presents at the start of the legislative session. Visit www.unlockthewaitinglists.com to see any updates to the agenda or to learn more information on the Unlock campaign.
The 2014 Legislative Session – Anticipated
Ask for Unlock:
Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), FY 2015
• Housing vouchers to support 100 people with developmental disabilities who wish to live in their own home or apartment ... $480,000
• Supported employment funds to assist 250 young people with developmental disabilities find and keep employment in the community ... $1,960,000
Unlock supports the Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement agreement and greatly appreciates your support for the DOJ funds.
Department of Community Health, FY 2015
• Funding for 100 ICWP waivers to eliminate the current waiting list ...$1,620,202
Department of Human Services, FY 2015
• Funding to support aging Georgians ... $10,000 by:
o Reducing waiting lists for home and community-based services
o Increasing funds for abuse investigations and protection
o Strengthening long-term care ombudsman protection
o Improving access to legal advice
o Protecting abuse victims by offering temporary placements all across Georgia
Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, FY 2015
• Increase funding for Vocational Rehabilitation services that prepare persons with disabilities for competitive employment, so that Georgia may pull
down its full 4:1 federal dollar match ...$26,000,000
Department of Community Affairs, FY 2015
• Increase retrofit dollars for home modifications and necessary code updates to inaccessible properties ...
$300,000
How to Share Your Voice at the Polls and Get Involved
One of the best ways to make positive changes to our system is to get involved and help choose the people we elect to make decisions in our communities. People with disabilities are a powerful voting bloc and
it's important to make sure the disability community's interests are heard and represented by our elected officials.
Participating at the polls in the upcoming elections in November 2014 for the House of Representatives, Senate and Governor will be a great opportunity for Georgia's disability community to share its voice.
The following are several tips for voters with disabilities to be prepared.
How do I know if I am eligible to vote?
In order to participate in the voting process in Georgia, you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you plan to vote and 18 years of age by Election Day. Additionally, you must have been previously registered or filled out a voter registration application. If you're unsure of your registration status, you can check it through the Secretary of State's website or county voter registration office.
What do you need to vote?
You must bring photo identification to vote. Acceptable forms include:
• A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
• Any valid state or federal issued photo ID, including a free voter ID card issued by your County Registrar's Office or by the Georgia Dept. of Driver Services
• Valid US passport
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency or entity of the US government, Georgia or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this State
• Valid US military photo ID
• Valid tribal photo ID
What do I do if I don't have qualified identification?
You can get a FREE Georgia Identification Card for voting purposes only from the Department of Driver Services or a FREE Georgia Voter Identification Card at your County Registrar's Office.
In order to get a Georgia Voter Identification Card, you will need:
• A photo identity document or a nonphoto identity document showing your full legal name and date of birth.
• Documentation showing your date of birth.
• Evidence you are registered to vote in Georgia; and
• Documentation showing your name and the address of principal residence
What if I need assistance at my polling location?
There are several options for voters with disabilities who need assistance at their polling location:
• Voters with disabilities can go to the poll
locations between 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, not wait in line and have a poll officer to assist them to the front of the line.
• Voters with disabilities can receive assistance from another individual with some exceptions
• Touch screen voting equipment is available including an audio ballot and magnifying features
Do I have to vote in person?
Any voter can request a mail-in ballot by visiting http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ elections/voter_information/absentee.htm and printing out the application form. Mail, fax or take the form in person to your local County Board of Registrar's Office.
For more detailed information and tips on voting, visit http://gcdd. org/blogs/gcdd-blog/2567- how-to-share-yourvoice-at-the-polls-andget-involved.html. And see page 30 for a list of resources on voting
